Heart of the Wood

"Oh baby — yes."

Melinda rode him with wild abandon, sometimes circling, sometimes bouncing, her fingers a blur over her clit. The pendants around her neck flickered in the light, clinking with musical tones. In her enthusiasm, she tugged at the root of his manhood on a few backstrokes, but the twinges of pain helped stave off his own climax. That and the sight of her — breasts bouncing, her face tight with pleasure — was more than worth the momentary discomfort.

She soared to her peak quickly, every hard breath a whimper as she bucked on his cock. Without warning, her hips froze in place. A violent, serpentine ripple passed up her body, whipping her hair in front of her face, and she let out a tight squeal.

"Ah yeah," Glen groaned as her walls squeezed tight.

She trembled atop him, head hanging down and her bangs rippling from hard breaths stirring them — each one emerging as a cry of ecstasy. At least half a minute passed before she went limp, falling forward against his chest with a loud groan.

Glen stroked her back and bottom, flexing his intimate muscles to make her cry out from the spikes of orgasmic energy it released within her. She lifted her head from his chest with obvious effort and begged, "I want to feel you come for me."

Ready to oblige her, he nodded and pointed a thumb upward. Melinda slid off his cock with a warbling cry, and he scooted out from beneath her. She braced her hands on the back of the couch to catch her breath, and Glen couldn't resist the sight of her ass sticking out, as if in invitation.

Realizing what he was doing when he stood up, she planted her feet on the floor, bent lower, and looked back over her shoulder as he moved in behind her. His fingers pressed into her hips and she nodded her head, urging him on with a breathy, "Uh huh."

Glen groaned as he slipped back into her saturated sex and gripped her hips tight. He knew from the first thrust that he wasn't going to last long, and so didn't hold back.

"S-so d-deep," she cried as he slammed into her, jolting her forward. "Give it to me. Ungh! Give it to me!"

Somehow, the relentless pace of his thrusts actually delayed his climax. He felt as if he was on the brink of an explosion, but never quite slipped over the edge. His legs crashed into her ass with loud smacks for a full minute, and then two. Melinda squealed and yelped, reaching back with one hand to rub her clit.

Grunting from the exertion and with sweat beading on every inch of his skin, Glen continued to pound his cock home, wondering if he was ever going to come. The itch of climax had intensified to a point where it was almost numb, and he let out an explosive growl of frustration.

"I'm gonna come again. Gonna come again. Give it to me! Come with me, please! Please!"

Her last exclamation transformed into a banshee's wail as orgasm claimed her. Glen lasted all of two more thrusts into her hot canal, then slammed his cock into her depths and erupted.

Guttural cries burst from deep in his chest with every pulse of his buried organ. He came so hard that the sensation was almost like peeing, jet after jet of cum flooding the pussy twitching around him. After what felt like an eternity, a final contraction dribbled the last of his seed inside her, and his knees wobbled.

Stumbling backward and gasping from the sensation of sliding free of her, Glen sat down on the coffee table, head and arms hanging limp as he fought for breath.

"Uh, huh-huh-huh," Melinda moaned. "Oh, that was incredible. Ah! I think I'm still coming."

"Fuck," Glen growled, forcing himself to sit upright. Having sweated so much, his butt was sliding around on the wood, the feeling far from comfortable. He tried to stand, and couldn't manage to lift up more than a few centimeters.

"Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed, and cupped a hand between her legs. Her hair whipped as she looked around and spied her shirt hanging over the back of the couch. She snatched it up, replacing her hand with the garment and stood up straight.

Glen groaned and snapped his knees together when she turned to lick the mingled cream from her hand, wearing an expression of pure, unbridled sexuality.

She chuckled and sat down, making sure to keep the shirt tucked tightly between her legs. She finished licking her hand clean, grinning mischievously the whole time, and then waved for him to sit down with her.

His legs still weren't very cooperative, but he managed to rise long enough to turn and sit down on the couch. She leaned in to rest her head against his shoulder and said, "Wow."

"Wow," he repeated.

"I don't want to go, but I need to tinkle." She lifted the shirt between her legs, revealing an abundance of cum decorating the cloth. "Oh wow. That's a lot."

"Didn't think I was ever gonna stop," he responded, his eyes starting to feel heavy.

"Mmm — I know." She kissed his shoulder, and then stood up. "I think I'll take a shower. You can come keep me company if you want."

With that, she twitched her eyebrows at him and stutter-stepped toward the bathroom. Glen followed after reaching deep within for the energy to rise, hearing the shower start running as he approached.

Hot, steamy water cascading over their nude bodies provoked a reaction, and the water had gone rather chill by the time they finished cleaning up — again. Melinda led him to her bedroom and curled up next to him with her head resting on his chest. Unable to imagine anything more perfect, Glen held her, reveling in the closeness.

If he had anything to say about it, one part of his previously murky future lay snuggled in his arms.

Though he didn't want to, his heavy eyelids won the battle and he fell asleep wearing a wide, content smile.

♠~~~~~☩~~~~~♠

A vibration against her cheek and a loud snore caused Melinda's eyes to pop open.

She giggled as Glen shifted on the bed in his sleep, and snuggled up against his broad chest once more. A peek at the clock showed that it had been nearly three hours since she had dozed off in his arms following the most wonderful — incredible — sex of her life, but she was still tingling, and wearing a grin so wide that her cheeks ached.

Alive with energy, she felt the need to rise, even though she couldn't have asked for anything more perfect than lying with her head on Glen's chest, listening to his heartbeat. Slow, careful movements let her slip from beneath his arm and out of the bed. From the moment her feet touched the hardwood floor, she knew how she wanted to expend that burst of energy.

She stepped out of the sunroom doors, lifting her eyes to the sky above. Her nude body bathed in moonlight, she crossed the strip of grass between the house and the trees, and entered the wood. Though numerous twigs and other forest detritus covered the trail, never once did anything poke her bare feet. It was as if she truly was floating — rather than simply feeling that way.

The moonlight brightened as the canopy opened up, revealing the stone in its center. In times of great joy, her mother had often danced around the altar as part of expressing her gratitude for the blessings of the day. Melinda could think of no better offering, and began to dance as soon as she crossed into the full moonlight again.

Allowing the song of the earth and of her heart to guide her, she glided and pirouetted around the clearing, often brushing the altar with her hands. At times, her movements were slow and sensual, only to transition into leaps and spins that fanned her hair out in a halo.

Breathing fast, and with her heart racing, she completed her dance by stretching her arms to the heavens above, cupping the moon between her palms. She closed her eyes and sank to her knees, keeping her hands in position, as if drawing down the moon to her side.

After taking the time to contemplate and meditate, she opened her eyes to see something that widened the smile already on her face.

The squirrel twitched its tail and tilted its head to the side.

"Hello, little one," she greeted the animal, which she was sure was the one that had first guided her here.

In two leaps, the squirrel landed atop the altar, and almost immediately turned around to look at the trees. Melinda's eyes followed those of her bushy-tailed companion, and she gasped upon seeing movement in the ferns. Something man-shaped was just beyond where she could see it clearly.

Moving her feet beneath her in preparation to run, she asked, "Who's there?"

"Don't be afraid," a musical, female voice answered. "Can I come into your circle?"

Oddly enough, the sound of the voice calmed the spike of fear that had come over Melinda. Whoever the woman was, she seemed to have some understanding of what Melinda was doing, and obviously wasn't shocked by her nudity. It was the squirrel sitting so calmly atop her altar that tipped the scales, though.

Taking a chance, she said, "You are welcome in my circle."

"Thank you," the voice said. A girlish giggle followed, and the ferns rustled.

Melinda's eyes went wide in a combination of shock and wonder as the woman stepped into the moonlight. The green haired visitor wore a wide smile — and nothing else — and moved with a dancer's grace. Her skin had a golden hue that even the color-diluting light of the moon couldn't overcome.

Standing before her was a dryad, the embodiment of nature her mother had always believed in, despite never seeing one.

The nymph waved, let out a little laugh, and said, "Hello."

"H-hello," Melinda responded, still too shocked to do more than repeat the greeting.

The squirrel turned and sprang into the air as the dryad approached. Without missing a step, the nymph cupped her palms in front of her and caught the animal. She looked down at it and said, "He likes you. I like you too. You're very pretty."

What fear of the unknown Melinda experienced drained away in the presence of the nature spirit. She stood and said, "Thank you. You're very pretty too. My name is Melinda."

The dryad laughed. "I know. My name is Xantina. Do you like this place?"

Realizing that the squirrel must have led her here at the dryad's request, Melinda asked, "Is it yours?"

Xantina rolled her eyes. "It belongs to all, and all belong to it. It is a special place for you. That is why I showed it to you."

A sudden realization hit Melinda, and she asked, "Was it you I heard here? Were you the one who spoke to me?"

"Silly. You came here to talk to someone, and she talked to you. Your magic is strong in this place." Xantina glanced off to the side, into the gloom of the undergrowth. "May someone else come into our circle?"

Melinda nodded.

"Come, Xankia. Xannera."

The second nymph could have been a twin; save her hair was a darker green. Behind her came someone else, and Melinda recognized Glen's mother when she stepped into the moonlight, wearing a long robe.

Kia said, "Hi," and then untied her robe. "When in Rome..." She chuckled, pulled a bundle of papers from the pocket of the robe, and let it fall to the earth to reveal that she was nude beneath.

"Besides, Grandma doesn't think much of clothing."

Xantina scrunched up her nose. "Coverings are silly."

The other nymph let out a giggle. "You were right when you were sitting under my tree. I like to tease Glen."

With so much information — mostly beyond her previous imagining — hitting her at once, Melinda was at a loss for words.

"I know, it's a lot to take in," Kia said as she approached. "I didn't think it was a good idea, but Grandma did, and there's no arguing with her."

"She's ready," Xantina said as she and her sister nymph sat down.

Kia shrugged. "Considering that you haven't run away screaming, I guess she was right. The vote went through in the council. You've got approval to open the cemetery. We tried to call earlier, but nobody answered."

There was nothing Melinda could do to prevent the blush that consumed her, visible even in the moonlight.

"Then there's this," Kia said, and handed over her bundle of papers.

"What is it?" Melinda asked as she unfolded the outer paper.

"Copies of the paperwork my husband has been drawing up, including the contract for the plots. We filled out a couple of them."

Melinda flipped through the papers, then came to the contracts — far more than a couple. Glen's grandparents, parents, aunt and uncle, his sister, and her husband had all filled out the contracts to have plots in the cemetery. Included with them were checks covering the costs, in full.

With her dream not only waiting for her to grasp it now — but also fully financed — Melinda could only smile and say, "I don't know how to thank you."

"You don't have to. We've been looking into green cemeteries for a while, and we were tickled when you contacted my brother. You're giving us the opportunity to keep giving back and nurturing the earth, even after we're gone."

A faint voice traveled on the wind from the direction of the house. "Melinda?"

The two dryads rose to their feet once more and Xantina said, "Call to him."

"The look on his face should be priceless," Kia added, and punctuated it with a quiet laugh.

Melinda smiled and looked over her shoulder, back along the trail. Just the sound of his voice made her heart swell. "In here, Glen."

"In the woods?"

"Yes."

Glen let out a confused-sounding, "Okay." He then said, "Where do... Never mind. Found the trail."

After a minute or two of rustling accompanied by a muttered curse or two, Glen stepped into the clearing. As his mother had predicted, his wide-eyed and open mouthed expression was almost cartoonish, prompting a gale of laughter from the four women when Kia couldn't hold back a snort of mirth.

Xantina waved a dismissive hand at Glen's pants — the only thing he had on. "Take those away and come join our circle." She then took her granddaughter's hand and Xannera's, guiding the two women to encircle the altar.

Upon stepping into position, Xannera extended a hand, and a smile. Melinda accepted it, feeling a connection to the world around her so profound that she doubted she would ever find the words to describe it. A decidedly ashamed looking — and now naked — Glen walked up to Melinda's side, and she took his hand as well.

"What..."

"Shush," Xantina said, cutting her great-grandson off. "Now complete the circle and close your eyes."

The final instruction proved unnecessary for Melinda, because once the circle was complete, she again felt the pleasant jolt that had shaken her when she first touched the altar at the center of the circle. While seemingly able to feel every plant, animal, person, and even stone in the clearing, everything was overshadowed by the unmistakable aura of her mother's love.

"Call to her," Xantina instructed.

The words flowed from her lips, and Melinda completed the chant, as she had before, "Come to me. I summon thee. Cross now the great divide."

A chill breeze caused Melinda to shiver, her skin breaking out in goose bumps. Without knowing why, she opened her eyes.

Surrounding the altar at the center of the circle, blue-white balls that appeared to be made of condensed moonlight hovered around the stone, replacing the candles required by the ritual. Feeling warmth between her breasts, she glanced down to see the pendant Glen had given her glowing a soft green, while her mother's Celtic cross blushed with a red aura. Above the altar, tendrils of fog made opaque by the moonlight swirled, mingling with winking green sparks of light.

The fog grew denser as Melinda watched in amazement. Her heart began to race as the mists took shape, coalescing into an image both impossible and wonderful.

The spectral image of her mother smiled down on her and said, "Melinda, I'm so proud of you."

"M-mom?" Melinda asked, despite knowing the answer to the question. Tears flowed openly down her cheeks.

"Of course. You summoned me, didn't you?" Her mother laughed, and then looked Glen up and down, where he stood wide-eyed at Melinda's side. The ghostly woman's eyebrows popped up, and a crooked grin decorated her face when she turned back to her daughter to mouth the word, wow.

She tried to hold back the embarrassed laugh for her beau's sake, but didn't succeed.

Another swirl of cool wind swept through the clearing, and the ghostly image said, "I shouldn't stay long. You've made our dream real, and I couldn't be more proud. I love you, Melinda."

The image of her mother faded, becoming more transparent. "I love you too, Mom. I miss you."

"I'll always be with you, watching over you — especially here, where your magic is strongest. On this day each year, blessed by the Earth Mother in thanks to those who gave her this day, you may call to me. Be true to your craft. Be true to your love, and blessed be."

As the balls of light dimmed, and the spirit of her mother faded away into tendrils of mists and sparkling green once more, Melinda's voice joined five others, in perfect chorus.

"Blessed be."

"Family reunions are going to be interesting," Glen quipped, breaking the silence of the night a couple of minutes later.

Kia released his hand to slap him on the shoulder, but Melinda laughed as she turned to him and crooked a finger, beckoning him into a kiss, with tears of joy still streaming down her cheeks. She intercepted him before their lips met, though. "Family reunions, huh?"

Glen blushed furiously, evidenced by darker color in his cheeks, confirming the admission he hadn't really meant to make in such strong terms, but still no doubt felt. Then she did kiss him, wrapping her arms tight about him, and feeling her passions rise.

Caught up in emotion, Melinda forgot that they had an audience until Kia cleared her throat and spoke. "Think it may be time for the rest of us to get going. Speaking of reunions, you're welcome to come to ours tomorrow. Everyone is coming for Earth Day."

Interposing her body to hide Glen's rising erection, she said, "I'd like that."

"Well, we'll see you tomorrow, then." Kia said, and started to turn toward the edge of the clearing. She paused and added. "Glen, don't forget that it's after midnight."

Somehow, Glen's face got even darker, evidence of more blood rushing there. "Geez, Mom!"

"Just reminding you. Bye, now."

The two dryads offered waves and knowing looks before taking Kia's hands and leading her toward the trees. Once at the edge of the clearing, the three women simply faded into the foliage.

"After midnight?" Melinda asked.

"Uhm..." Glen mumbled as he shifted from foot to foot.

Arousal growing by the second, Melinda curled her fingers around his manhood and whispered, "Never mind," taking the first step toward relaxing him.

Beneath the full moon, on a bed of leaves, two hearts and bodies came together as one in the Heart of the Wood.

♠~~~~~☩~~~~~♠

Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed it! Contest results are determined by reader votes, so I'd appreciate yours. Comments are also most welcome, as the feedback is the fuel that keeps me writing. Even a quick 'good story' note is a boost, and constructive criticism is always helpful. I'm not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination.

This story is part of a series, following the family over generations. For a deeper look at the supporting cast in the story, you can always go back and read from the beginning of the series, which are in this chronological order:

Steward of the Wood

Daughter of the Wood

Forever of the Wood

Secret of the Wood

Kindred of the Wood

Hope I didn't offend any actual practitioners of the craft with my depiction of Wicca in this story. I'll also say to Charmed fans that I know I used the last few words of the spell to summon the dead, and not the chant for a seance. I just like the wording of the summoning spell better, and it sort of fits.